


Innuendo Interrupted (or How Remus J. Lupin Knew He Was in Trouble)

by r_grayjoy



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-12
Updated: 2010-10-12
Packaged: 2017-10-12 10:56:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/124133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/r_grayjoy/pseuds/r_grayjoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some snark, some humor, a bit of romance, and several misunderstandings, Snupin style.  Post-war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Innuendo Interrupted (or How Remus J. Lupin Knew He Was in Trouble)

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted in May 2007 for the exchange fest on bottomsnape.

**Innuendo Interrupted (or How Remus J. Lupin Knew He Was in Trouble)**

In the end it took four years, two months, and six days for the Wizengamot to decree that Severus Snape, former Hogwarts Potions Master, had been acting on behalf of the Side of Light during the Second War with You-Know-Who, and was therefore not to be convicted of war crimes committed on behalf of the Dark Lord. One would think the fact that he had thrown himself in front of a curse meant for Harry Potter, and had followed that up by shoving Voldemort bodily into the Veil, would be proof enough of his allegiance, but of course there had been extenuating circumstances. It had taken far longer than it should, but at last Severus was a free man, absolved of guilt and beholden to no master.

Unfortunately for Severus, now that he was free, he had no place to go. His meagre possessions and savings had been liquidated by the Ministry shortly after Voldemort's destruction and contributed to a fund set up to aid those who had lost family or property as a result of the war. His house in Spinner's End had eventually been appropriated by the Muggle authorities and auctioned away when the owner seemed to have disappeared. He had no family, no one who could truly claim him as a friend, and no one who was particularly thrilled with the idea of having much at all to do with an irascible former Death Eater. And that was how Remus had found himself standing in front of Azkaban on the day that Severus was to be released.

Although the Dementors that had once served as the Azkaban prison guards were long gone, the place was still gloomy and forbidding beyond measure. Remus suppressed a shiver not caused entirely by the clammy air as he looked up at the looming gray fortress. At last Severus emerged, blinking and squinting as though he had not seen daylight, however dim, in some time. He was dressed in black formal robes -- the same set that he had worn throughout his trial -- which now hung somewhat loosely from his thin frame. Imprisonment had clearly taken its toll, yet Severus still appeared as proud and disdainful as ever.

Taking a deep breath and straightening his spine, Remus approached his one-time classmate. Apparently sensing movement, Severus snapped his head around, and the moment his eyes landed on Remus, his lip twitched up into a familiar sneer. "What are _you_ doing here?"

 _Lovely to see you, too_. Remus wisely did not put voice to the thought. Forcing himself not to shrink under Severus' piercing gaze, he replied calmly, "I'm here to make you an offer."

"What sort of an offer?" Severus asked, suspicion evident in his tone.

"An offer of a place to stay. Temporarily, until you get back on your feet." The other man only lifted an eyebrow in inquiry, forcing Remus to conclude, "In my home."

"Why? I don't want your pity, werewolf," Severus spat immediately in response, somehow managing to make the words sound like an affront and a warning combined.

In truth, Remus wasn't certain he could explain all of the reasons that had brought him here, and even if he could, he knew Severus wouldn't wish to hear most of them. He finally settled for giving a weak shrug and a partial explanation. "You were on our side all that time. It didn't seem right to leave you to fend for yourself now."

"Ridiculous Gryffindorish sentiment," Severus muttered.

Amused by the very Severus-like sentiment in turn, Remus tried not to grin too broadly. "Is that an acceptance or a refusal?"

Severus was silent a long moment as he appeared to weigh his rather nonexistent options. At last he said, "It will be as brief a stay as possible, and I _shall_ repay you for your… generosity." His mouth twisted as though the words tasted foul. "I do not accept _charity_."

Remus didn't know whether to roll his eyes, laugh, or simply be vaguely surprised and relieved that he had managed to persuade the stubborn man so easily. He settled for the latter, and sighed, "Fine, Severus. That's perfectly fine."

* * * * *

Remus had half expected Severus to sneer when he saw Remus' neat but humble home. He was surprised when Severus merely walked through the front door, glanced around, nodded once, and passively allowed his host to show him to the guest room. Over the next several days, Remus had fully expected Severus to be as disagreeable, snide, and hostile as he had always been. Therefore he was utterly floored when the man seemed to make a genuine effort to be, if not precisely pleasant, then at least courteous. Not one disparaging remark about Remus' lycanthropy or choice of childhood friends was forthcoming, and Remus quickly began to wonder who the man occupying his spare bedroom was, and what he had done with the real Severus Snape.

He refrained from asking, however.

True to his previous word, Severus seemed exceptionally concerned with 'earning his keep', as it were. He took it upon himself to begin preparing the majority of their meals, and often had breakfast ready in the mornings before Remus was even awake enough to protest. With Remus' approval, Severus magically expanded the basement and set up a modest potions lab, and Remus was taken aback when Severus' first project was to brew Wolfsbane entirely unsolicited. When Remus attempted to thank him profusely, Severus only muttered something about not wishing to be eaten in his sleep, and would hear no more of it.

So it was that the two of them quickly fell into an amicable routine. Having been largely solitary for much of his adult life, Remus had thought it would be difficult to adjust to sharing his home. On the contrary, he found that he quite liked having another person around, even if they rarely exchanged more than a few words, and only spoke of immaterial things when they did. If he harboured any absurd desires that their arrangement might spawn something akin to friendship, he firmly buried them, telling himself that Severus shared no such sentiments, and Remus didn't really want to be friends with such an ill-natured git anyway. Remus was caught entirely off guard the first time he and Severus had an actual conversation.

Nearly six weeks had passed since Severus first set foot in Remus' home, when they began retiring to the sitting room for tea after dinner most evenings. Although they largely sat in not-quite-companionable silence, Remus found a peculiar sort of comfort in Severus' constant presence. He was staring into the depths of his tea cup and contemplating this development when Severus suddenly spoke, startling Remus out of his reverie.

"Do you enjoy your work?"

The question took Remus by surprise, forcing him to gather his thoughts a moment before answering. After the war had ended, he had become the Ministry's first Werewolf Liaison, an office created specifically for him at the behest of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Now Had More Orders of Merlin Than God and Was Therefore Not to Be Denied. While he had never imagined himself as a bureaucrat, the position allowed Remus to put his considerable diplomacy to good use. There also happened to be a steady paycheque in it. "Yes, I do," he replied finally. "What I'm doing is important. I'm helping a lot of people, and working to change outdated perceptions and biases."

Severus seemed to accept this answer, and didn't question Remus further. When it appeared as though he wouldn't speak again, Remus ventured, "What about you? You've not told me about your plans, or what you've been doing while I'm at work."

As Severus glanced up sharply, a flash of something indecipherable passing over his features and disappearing as quickly as it had come. "It is not my intention to extend my stay here; I'll be out of your way at the earliest possible opportunity."

Resisting the urge to sigh, Remus set his tea cup aside carefully. "Severus, that's not what I meant at all. You're welcome to stay here as long as need be." He didn't dare tell Severus that he had come to appreciate his company.

Severus shot Remus an incredulous glare, but finally conceded, "I've been working to set up a secure alias under which I might begin to operate a modest potions supply business, and perhaps publish some of my independent research." He didn't explain his reasoning for establishing an alias; there was no need. Remus was well aware that any work he did under his own name would be suspect, for all that he was officially exonerated.

It was a clever plan, Remus had to admit, but he wondered how Severus would feel about not being able to take credit for his work. Remus knew that he had been exceedingly ambitious at one time, and not terribly long ago at that. Not knowing what to say that wouldn't be likely to inadvertently offend Severus, it was Remus' turn to nod wordlessly.

The silence stretched out, and Remus was considering retiring for the evening when Severus surprised him a second time. "Lupin," he began in a low, intense tone, "Why did you ask me to come stay here?"

Looking up to meet Severus' gaze, Remus suddenly felt alarmingly exposed. He wanted to laugh and point out that Severus had already asked him that question while standing in front of Azkaban, but knew instinctively that Severus would see through the attempt at deflection. Compelled to honesty, he replied softly, "You had no place else to go. When it came right down to it, you _were_ on our side throughout everything. I couldn't just leave you to fend for yourself, facing poverty and narrow-minded prejudice, as the world has so often done to me. Whatever animosity might have existed between us in the past, you didn't deserve that."

Turning his gaze to some distant point, Severus appeared to consider Remus' words, but said nothing. He sat a few moments longer before setting his tea cup down, rising from his chair, and retiring from the room.

* * * * *

The unexpected conversation and Remus' candor only seemed to increase Severus' desire to repay Remus for his hospitality. A week later, after the next full moon, Remus awoke to find himself covered in a warm blanket, a small vial of blue liquid resting beside his head. Pulling himself into a sitting position, he noticed the note placed under the vial: _Drink me_. Bemused, he turned the slip of parchment over, seeking some indication as to what, precisely, the potion was. On the back was written, _No, it's not poison. Just drink it, Lupin_.

Chuckling to himself, Remus drank the blue liquid (a healing and restorative draught, as it turned out); what other choice did he have?

Severus' redoubled efforts at recompense left Remus feeling a bit guilty, however. As the days went by, the two of them talked -- actually talked -- with increased frequency. It was rarely for more than a few minutes at a time, and often at unpredictable moments, yet Remus found himself looking forward to their interactions all the same. Against all odds and expectations, he was growing to quite enjoy Severus' company, and since he had no particular wish for Severus to leave, the unnecessary attempts at repayment made Remus feel as though he was taking advantage of Severus rather than the reverse.

Remus had a nagging suspicion that he was in trouble the first time he saw Severus smile. Later, he couldn't even remember what they'd been discussing at the time, or what, precisely, had prompted it. It had gone as quickly as it had come, but Remus was certain that he had seen it; not a sneer or a smirk, but a genuine smile flashing across Severus' usually severe features. When he thought about it, Remus couldn't recall ever having seen Severus smile before, in all the years of their acquaintance. It made him feel strangely honoured, as though he was being permitted to see something to which only a select few were privy, and over the next several days Remus found himself cracking jokes at odd times in ridiculous attempts to inspire it again.

Severus had been in Remus' home for a little over three months when Remus _knew_ without a shadow of a doubt that he was in trouble. Arriving home from work a bit late, he came into the sitting room to find Severus half-sitting, half-reclining on the settee in an uncharacteristically casual pose. The man was sprawled with one leg stretched out on the cushions, one arm slung up over the back of the settee. His eyes were closed, and his head dropped back to expose the pale line of his throat.

Clearing his throat to announce his presence and rid himself of the peculiar knot that had suddenly formed in his chest, Remus asked, "Everything all right, Severus?"

Without changing his position, Severus replied, "My head is _throbbing_." He spoke in a low, rich tone that instantly went to _Remus'_ head and gave him thoughts that were entirely inappropriate to the situation. Remus was immensely grateful that Severus still had his eyes shut, and therefore could not see that he had inadvertently glanced to Severus' crotch, or that he had then promptly blushed seven shades of scarlet.

"I'll just go make dinner then, shall I?" Remus said, then fled the room without awaiting a response.

* * * * *

Over the next few days, Remus had several more similarly embarrassing moments, much to his chagrin. He continued to find innuendo where there clearly was none intended, and he was soon forced to admit to himself that somehow, somewhere along the way, he had become attracted to his adversary-turned-house guest. Being a rational man, however, Remus knew that it was simply the result of sharing space with another person after such a long period of solitude. He also knew that the attraction could not be mutual, nor could any flirtation between Severus and himself end well, and so he was resolved to dwell on the matter as little as possible.

Therefore Remus had absolutely not stayed up late brooding about the situation the following Wednesday night. Rather, he had been working on a proposal to the Ministry regarding the feasibility of government-regulated Wolfsbane distribution. If his mind had drifted to Severus more than once, it was a simply a sign that his concentration was slipping, and it was well past time to admit defeat, give up working for the night, and head for bed.

Setting his work aside, Remus put out the lights and shuffled down the darkened hallway towards his bedroom. He was just passing Severus' door when he heard a faint noise, and paused to listen. After a moment the sound came again, a rustling of fabric and a low moan. Wondering if Severus might be unwell, Remus moved to peer through the crack in the door.

A sliver of moonlight shone through the window and fell across Severus' prone form. He lay on his back in the guest bed, the duvet pushed down by his feet, his body fully covered only by a gauzy sheet. The silvery light entering the room revealed rhythmic movement beneath the thin cover, and when Severus let out another small groan, Remus nearly gasped aloud as realisation of what he was witnessing dawned.

Remus knew he had no right to invade Severus' privacy in such a fashion, knew that he should move away from the door, but he couldn't seem to convince his feet to carry him on down the hallway. There was something intensely erotic in the way Severus' shrouded hand slid slowly up and down, the knuckles of his fist outlined in the sheer fabric, and Remus stood entranced. Soon the sound of Severus' rasped breaths carried out into the hallway, and as Remus watched, the hand beneath the sheet increased its pace. Remus' own breathing grew ragged in tandem, and he concentrated his effort on remaining silent. He had barely enough presence of mind remaining to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from groaning aloud by the time Severus threw his head back, body stiffening, and let out a faint but unmistakable choked sound.

Arousal and guilt warring within him, Remus retreated to his own room at last. After quickly stripping off his robes and climbing into bed, he couldn't help but play the scene over again in his mind. Although he might have felt rather sordid for taking pleasure in a private moment that he was not meant to see, he couldn't deny that it resulted in the best orgasm he'd had in ages, not to mention an incredibly sound night's sleep.

* * * * *

Over breakfast the following morning, Remus flushed and shifted uncomfortably until Severus rather irritably asked him whether he was well. It was several days before Remus could meet Severus' gaze again without the irrational fear that Severus would take one look at him and somehow _know_ how prominently he was now featuring in Remus' night time imaginings. Still, a full moon and another few days went by, and things returned to normal -- or whatever passed for normal with a werewolf and a former Death Eater in residence together, at any rate.

After the usual evening tea with Severus, Remus had retired a bit early for the night, comfortable conversation and a warm fire conspiring to lull him quickly to the brink of sleep. He came fully awake, however, to the sound of his bedroom door opening. Eyes snapping open, he could just make out a silhouette in the doorway as a murmured "Remus" reached him in the darkness.

"Severus?" Remus asked dazedly, wondering what could be wrong to bring the man into his room. He watched as the silhouette approached his bed, and then the only sound in the room was the rustle of linens as Severus smoothly lifted the covers and slid in beside him.

Remus felt his heart pounding in his chest, felt the world tilt. "Severus, what--" His question was cut off abruptly by a press of lips against his. For an instant, Remus was too stunned to react properly, but when Severus flicked his tongue out in a silent request for entry, Remus readily parted his lips and opened himself to Severus. The kiss was slow and deep and probing, full of heat and promise. Severus never did anything halfway. Remus could barely recall the last time he had been kissed at all, much less like _this_ , and he couldn't help but moan into it as his cock stood up and took notice.

The moment was strangely surreal, and Remus almost wasn't certain whether he was awake or dreaming. He was hyperaware of Severus' lean form above and beside him, of the texture of the dressing gown that Severus wore, of the sound of their mingled breathing. All of Remus' forbidden fantasies seemed to be coming true, but it was happening too fast, and Remus could scarcely think.

As Severus slid one hand down Remus' chest, heading for the waistband of his shorts, Remus barely had the will or the presence of mind to seize Severus' wrist and gasp, "Wait. Stop." And oh, Circe, was that ever difficult.

Severus paused then, leaning back slightly and tensing. Remus could see his eyes flicker in the darkness as he looked down at Remus, warily awaiting his next words. "What.." Remus swallowed, collected his thoughts, and tried again, " _Why_ are you doing this?"

"I know you want this," came Severus' hissed response.

"How?" Remus asked, still attempting to get a handle on things.

" _This_ is a rather good indication, for a start," Severus replied sardonically, shifting his leg and pressing his thigh against Remus' obvious erection. "But aside from that, I'm neither blind nor oblivious. I've seen the way you've looked at me of late. I also know that you were watching the other night. You would not have stayed to observe had you not been interested in what you were seeing."

Severus' tone was arrogant, but Remus thought he had come to know the other man well enough to detect a hint of uncertainty or hesitation there. Cock throbbing against Severus' thigh, Remus wanted nothing more than to pull Severus down and devour him whole, but something about the situation felt off. _I know you want this…_ Severus' words echoed in his mind, and Remus abruptly realised what was wrong.

This was another of Severus' attempts to repay Remus for helping him. Remus instantly sobered. Yes, he wanted Severus, but not like this. Reaching up with both hands, he grasped Severus' shoulders and gently but firmly pushed him away. "I don't want you to do this."

A moment passed, then Remus felt Severus stiffen. "As you wish," Severus said in a flat tone that suggested barely restrained anger. Severus slid out of the bed, and Remus felt cold at the loss, unable to do anything save watch Severus' inky silhouette leave the room and close the door behind him.

Remus threw his arm up over his eyes and groaned in frustration and regret. It was a very long time before sleep found him again.

* * * * *

Early the next day, Remus stumbled blearily down the hallway to find Severus not preparing breakfast as usual, but still in his bedroom, packing his meager belongings into a trunk. Something inside Remus turned cold at the thought of Severus leaving. Even if the man didn't truly want him, Remus still enjoyed his companionship, and he knew instinctively that the house would feel empty without Severus' steady presence to fill it. Of course he realised that Severus would leave eventually, but Remus had thought that they would have a bit more time at least.

Standing in the doorway to Severus' bedroom, Remus blurted out, "What are you doing?"

Without looking up from his task, Severus drawled, "Sending my clothes on a much needed vacation."

Well. Ask a stupid question, get a facetious answer. Trying another approach, Remus asked, "But where will you go?"

Folding another set of robes and adding them to the trunk, Severus' voice was impassive as he replied, "I'll rent a room someplace. I'll have to dip into the money from the loan I took out to start my business, but I have sufficient stock and enough equipment now to begin the owl-order potions a little ahead of schedule. It will be tight for a while, but I'll manage."

Remus moved into the room and placed his hand on Severus' arm, silently begging the man to _just stop packing for a moment_. "Severus, you don't have to do that."

At last Severus looked up at Remus, and although his expression was blank, his eyes flashed as he said, "It is exceedingly clear that I'm not wanted here."

"I've never done anything to give you any indication that you're not wanted here!" Remus exclaimed, feeling himself growing increasingly desperate. He took a deep breath to compose himself, then went on more quietly, "I _do_ want you here. Very much. I've come to quite enjoy your company. You need not go out of your way to repay me for providing you a place to stay. Last night… I couldn't let you go so far."

Severus blinked twice, then slowly said, "Let me see if I have this straight. You believe that last night I was -- what? Attempting to repay you for the room and board?"

"Weren't you?"

"For Merlin's sake, Lupin, I might be a former Death Eater and spy, but I _do_ have some self-respect!"

After nearly sputtering the words, Severus stood looking rather incensed and taken aback. Remus realised then just how badly he had misjudged the situation. If Severus hadn't been offering himself up as a form of repayment, then that meant… _Oh. Oh hell._ "Oh, god, Severus, I'm so sorry. I thought… Well, it's just that you've seemed so concerned about earning your keep around here, and… I didn't imagine that you'd… " Remus stopped short and ran his hand through his hair, abashed. "I'm sorry."

In response, Severus crossed his arms and snorted derisively, but Remus thought that perhaps he appeared somewhat placated. At least he had stopped packing.

When Severus didn't speak again or move to resume gathering his belongings, Remus asked hopefully, "So will you stay?"

"I suppose, if you've no objection, then it would be the sensible thing to do for the time being," Severus conceded.

Remus nearly fainted from relief.

* * * * *

After the Misunderstanding of Astounding Proportions (as Remus thought of it, or 'Remus' Colossal Cock-Up' when he was feeling less charitable towards himself), things returned to the way they had been in the beginning, with Severus behaving in a courteous but cool manner. Remus' attempts at friendliness or conversation were met with one-word responses or stony silences on Severus' part. Remus tried to think of a way that he might prove his sincerity and regain Severus' confidence, be he was utterly at a loss. All the possible scenarios he played out in his mind ended with Severus looking at him as though purple pixies had flown out his ears, and hexing him blind.

When days turned into weeks and Remus had made no progress, he began to grow desperate. And desperate times called for desperate measures, or so he told himself as he stood in the darkened hallway outside Severus' bedroom clad only in a dressing gown. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, he reached for the doorknob, only hoping that Severus wouldn't hex first and identify the body later.

Slipping inside the room, Remus saw moonlight falling across Severus in his bed, and shivered as he recalled the night he had watched Severus pleasuring himself. Severus tensed, awake and alert at the sound of the door opening and closing, and Remus called out softly, "It's all right; it's me."

"Remus?" came Severus' sleep-roughened voice, and Remus was struck with a peculiar sense of déjà vu.

Moving into the pale beam of light, Remus reached for the belt that held his dressing gown closed and tugged it loose. "Severus," he whispered as he deliberately shrugged the robe off his shoulders and allowed it to fall to the floor.

Remus stepped up to the foot of the bed and climbed onto it on all fours, gliding slowly towards his quarry. His pulse raced with nervousness and desire, and he hoped Severus wouldn't notice the way his hands trembled. Seeming to collect himself, Severus sat up abruptly. "Lupin, have you--" he began, but Remus silenced him with a kiss, using Severus' own tactic against him.

Severus allowed himself to be pushed back down to the surface of the bed stiffly, not quite responding with enthusiasm, yet not refusing Remus' advances outright. Sensing Severus' hesitation, Remus grew determined to prove to Severus just how much he wanted this, wanted _him_. He put his many weeks of longing and frustration into an extended, ardent kiss, tangling one hand in Severus' hair, running his thumb over Severus' cheek, moaning softly into his mouth, and gradually, ever so gradually, he could feel the tension leave the other man.

Carefully Remus peeled back the covers, then laid his body flush against Severus', making his arousal apparent in the press of his erection against Severus' stomach. He was gratified to find an answering hardness, and he rolled his hips once with an unabashed groan. "Wanted you for so long now," he murmured into Severus' hair, and he heard the other man's breath hitch as he ran his tongue over the shell of Severus' ear and down his neck.

At last Severus was beginning to respond the way Remus wanted, and there was no way Remus was about to let up now. Swiftly he sat up, straddling Severus, and pulled the man's nightshirt up and off before he had a chance to protest. Just as quickly he returned to his previous position and began making his way down Severus' body with mouth and hands. He paused to suck at the flesh of a collar bone, swirl his tongue around a nipple, graze his teeth over a bony hip, exploring every bit of Severus reverently as the other man arched and twisted beneath him.

When Remus' mouth closed over Severus' cock, Severus remained silent, but his fingers twisted in the sheets in a white-knuckled grip. Glancing up, Remus could just see Severus biting his lip, presumably to prevent unseemly sounds from spilling forth, and it made Remus want to rob the man of his formidable control all the more. Taking up a steady rhythm, he suck-bobbed for all he was worth, and Severus soon wound his fingers in his hair and warned, "R-Remus… Stop…" Remus wondered at the fact that Severus only seemed to call him by his given name in bed, but decided it wasn't precisely the best time to remark upon it.

As Remus slid back up to face his partner, Severus parted his legs readily and snaked his arms around Remus, pulling him close. Remus' neglected cock came into contact with Severus', and he gasped out, "Do you have--"

"In the drawer," Severus replied quickly.

Both men fumbled for a small, unlabeled jar and eventually managed to prize the top off. Kneeling before Severus, Remus dipped his fingers in the oil and quickly slicked Severus in preparation, then spread a generous amount on himself. Only then did he hesitate. Bracing himself on his hands, he looked down at his would-be lover, attempting to make out his features in the near-darkness. "Are you sure..?"

"For the love of god, get on with it, Lupin!" Remus could practically _hear_ the eye roll that he was certain accompanied Severus' words, and that was all the goading Remus required.

Remus paused to align himself, then surged forward, sheathing himself in Severus with a sharp cry. Freezing in place, he breathed deeply and allowed them both a moment to adjust, and felt Severus' fingers dig into his back. Remus tried to move slowly, carefully, but Severus was having none of it. He turned out to be an aggressive, demanding lover, winding his limbs around Remus and pulling him down over and over again savagely. Sweat beaded on Remus' skin and incoherent syllables tumbled from his lips, and there was little he could do save hold on for dear life and just keep thrusting, thrusting…

Rapidly hurtling towards release, Remus tried to convey his state to Severus, but all he managed was a garbled string of vowels. Severus seemed to understand nonetheless, and shoved one hand down between them roughly. Following Severus' lead, Remus' hand closed over Severus', and they fisted Severus' cock rapidly in tandem. Moments later Severus arched and spasmed beneath Remus, hot spunk spilling over their shared grip and a strangled groan welling up from his chest. Immediately Remus followed Severus over the edge, his own climax seemingly torn from him in waves.

Once his vision cleared, Remus shakily withdrew from Severus and collapsed onto the bed beside him. Somehow he didn't suspect Severus would be the cuddling sort, so he cautiously kept his distance. "Wow," he said, still attempting to catch his breath. "That was…" _Intense. Unexpected. Amazing._

"Indeed," came Severus' dry response, and the reality of what had just occurred hit Remus like a Stunning Spell. He had entered _Severus Snape's_ room uninvited, climbed into his bed, ignored his protests, and effectively seduced him.

Remus was certain that he had about thirty seconds left to live, because Severus was going to kill him.

"Just to be clear," Severus continued in the same deadpan tone, "You didn't do that out of some misguided attempt to apologize for previously rejecting and then insulting me, correct?"

There was absolute silence for a moment as the irony of Severus' words sank in, then Remus' laughter echoed through the room. Still chuckling, Remus said, "No. I did that because I wanted to." _Just as you did when you came to me in similar fashion. I get it now._ "I've wanted to for a very long time, you frustrating prat," he added softly.

"Hmph. As well you should," Severus replied, although there was no true bite or arrogance to his words.

Remus hesitantly reached over to lay his hand on Severus' arm. "I truly am sorry. I rejected you for the best of all possible reasons, even if the rationale was a bit skewed. Somehow I couldn't imagine that you might truly want me, and I couldn't stand to be with you if you didn't. Well. I suppose you could say my heart was in the right place, but my head was up my--"

"Remus." Without waiting for a response, Severus abruptly rolled to face Remus and caught him up in a rough kiss. "Shut up," he murmured against Remus' lips.

"All right," Remus agreed, deciding that he really didn't at all mind this method of silencing a person. And then he thought no more at all, but instead concentrated his effort on sliding his arms around his lover, pulling him close, and returning his attentions with all the ardor he possessed.


End file.
